Linux Mint produce two flavours of Linux, one based on Debian and the other on Ubuntu. The Ubuntu version has more common applications including Firefox instead of the different looking and slightly out of date Iceweasel. I chose the Ubuntu based flavour, currently at version 15 based on Ubuntu 13.04.
Installation
Welcome
Welcome to Linux Mint
Mute the sound
Apply updates
Fix Update Manager
Control Centre
Disks
You can get each flavour with the Cinnamon user interface or the MATE user interface. The Ubuntu flavour is also available with Xfce. Cinnamon is based on the new and slow Gnome 3. MATE is based on the older faster Gnome 2. Xfce is faster and lighter than MATE but has limited features to the point where Xfce is difficult to use for the things I do. MATE already has some problems but is improving fast so I chose MATE.
Within each flavour, you can get a download in 64 bit or 32 bit, All my computers are 64 bit machines so I always use the 64 bit version.
I have a machine with a 60 GB SSD for the system disk and two 2 TB magnetic disks for data. My plan is to put my home directory on one magnetic disk and use the other magnetic disk for a backup.
Installation
I downloaded a DVD ISO file, 1 GB, and burnt it to DVD so I can file file the DVD with the computer documentation.
Boot from the DVD. You might have to change your computer's BIOS to allow boot from DVD. Remove the option afterwards to stop an accidental overwrite.
Linux Mint displays a Automatic boot in 9 seconds then loads from the DVD.
You have to suffer through a stupid fade in logo. This time waster is supposed to be a giant leap forward in the latest release. Stupid fades are one of the reasons people stopped using Windows and are running away from Gnome 3 on Linux. Windows switched to Metro and I switched to MATE to get away from stupid Oh, look at my graphic tricks mentality.
You then wait a long time with no progress bar.
Suddenly the Linux Mint MATE desktop appears and you can experiment with MATE or install Linux Mint. Select the icon labelled Install Linux Mint to install Linux Mint.
Welcome
The Welcome page lets you select your language for the installation and English is the default so hit the Continue button.
Preparing to install Linux Mint
There are two reminders on this page, you need disk space and Internet access.
Internet access should not be needed for an install from disk. You should be able to complete an install then go back later to add time settings and download the latest updates.
The disk space is only relevant if you are trying to install along side exisitng data or an operating system. 6.4 GB is required, a trivial amount if you use magnetic disk but it is not trivial if you have only an SSD.
The smallest SSD on current notebooks is 128 GB and you really only get 120 after formatting. Allow 4 GB for swap space and 4 or more GB for temporary files, you are soon down to 110 GB. Windows 7 can use from 10 GB (XP) up to 50 GB (Windows 7). Allow 50 GB for your family photos (my collection is over 200 GB). A dual boot along side Windows can require a big cleanup before you have 6.4 GB spare.
Go back to your old system to cleanup or select Continue to continue.
Installation type
My computer already contains a Debian Linux installation. I am offered the options of installing along side the current Linux or replacing the current setup or an option named Something else where I can manually partition disks. I will test Replace.
I selected Replace then select Continue to continue.
Replace Debian with Linux Mint
There is an option to manually partition the disk. I want to see what the automatic partitioning will produce.
Select Install now to continue.
Where are you?
Specify your location. If you are connected to the Internet, Linux Mint will guess the location of your ISP server. if the guessed location is wrong, select your location on the map or type in the name of your city.
Select Continue to continue.
Keyboard layout
The left column is has general keyboard layouts and defaults to English (US). The right column has language variations and defaults to English (US). Select whatever you need. There is also a manual detection system.
Select Continue to continue.
Who are you?
Specify the user name and computer used by the operating system across networks, then your login user name and password.
Select Continue to continue.
Welcome to Linux Mint
now you have to put up with a slide show of advertising plus stupid downloads form the network. You downaloded and cut a CD. Why do you have to then download from the network? Stupid. Stupid.
At least you get a progress bar. The time estimates on the progress bar are wildly inaccurate.
I might try this part with the computer unplugged to see if a Linux Mint DVD is really safe to use in emergencies.
Installation complete
Select Restart Now to continue. (The incorrect and inconsistent capitalisation is not a typo by me, it is what Linux Mint use.)
Remove DVD
Please remove installation media and close the tray (if any) then press ENTER:
Press Enter to continue.
Welcome
This Welcome is the Linux Mint login screen on your computer. if you are dual booting, you might have to jump through some hoops to arrive here.
There are options to select a language and a session and to switch off the computer.
Login.
Welcome to Linux Mint
The pop up welcome screen has an option labelled Show this dialog at startup. Switch the option off before you forget.
Select Close to continue.
Mute the sound
Look through the icons in the bottom right corner of the screen. Mute the sound. read what the other icons do.
Apply updates
One of the icons in the bottom right corner is a white i on a blue circle in a grey shield shape. The mouseover says their are updates waiting. Apply the updates.
The icon starts the Update Manager. After the first update, change update detection to manual so you are not interrupted when working.
My update is 87 MB and will grow for later installations as more packages require updates. Update Manager estimated 8 minutes for the download on my broadband connection but it was less than three minutes.
Fix Update Manager
Open Update Manager and select Edit, Preferences. Select the Auto-Refresh tab and change the refresh from every 15 minutes to 1 day.
Select the Update Method tab and increase the Startup delay from 30 seconds to 60 or 100 seconds. This will give your email application time to download new email before you are annoyed by updates.
Apply the changes.
Control Centre
Select Menu in the bottom left corner then select Control Centre. Select the various options and read what they do.
Disks
While you are on Control Centre, select Disks. Disks displays your disk configuration. I can see the 64 GB SSD split into a standard partition for the operating system and en extended partition containing the swap partition.
The swap partition is way to big at 8.5 GB, the swap partition is rarely more than 0.8 GB.
Placing the swap partition inside an extended partition is one of the weird things Linux distributions do all the time. There is no reason, on that disk, to use anything other than a standard primary partition.
Conclusion
MATE 1.6 is a big leap forward from the previous version. MATE installed from the Linux Mint MATE download is better than MATE added on to other distributions after the initial install. MATE is faster than Gnome 3 and user interfaces based on Gnome 3. The speed difference is not noticeable on the fastest i7 processor but is noticeable on everything else.
Technology:
Linux